Episode #004: Working with a Fertility Specialist: When to Start, What the Process is Like, and What Your Doctor is Thinking (with Dr. Creighton Likes, III, MD)

This week I have the pleasure of interviewing my infertility doctor, Dr. Creighton E. Likes, III, MS, MD. Dr. Likes is a double-board certified Reproductive Endocrinologist and the Medical Director of the Fertility Center of the Carolinas where he has been practicing reproductive medicine for 12 years.

In this episode, Dr. Likes shares what the process of working with an infertility specialist is like, what you expect, and when individuals and couples should consider seeing a specialist. He tells us what his thought process is like when working with a new patient and what he does when he has been working with a patient for a while who has not yet had success. Dr. Likes and I talk candidly about what it looks like to have difficult conversations with your doctor, when or how to ask for a second opinion, what to do next when a treatment cycle is unsuccessful, and how patients can find emotional support for the roller coaster journey of infertility.

Dr. Likes shared so much wisdom and hope, but I think my favorite thing he said was, “Any patient is allowed to feel what they feel and it is completely valid and understandable. This process is both emotional and physical. Having rapport with your physician and knowing that you can open up and express your feelings is really important. ” Thank you for being here, friend. I hope this episode sparks courage and ignites hope for you in the week ahead.